From Izmir to Aydın in 1976
Herewith a few pictures kindly provided by the Restoration & Archiving Trust to revive the Alsancak to Aydın trip in the days of steam.
The line Izmir to Denizli departs from the old Izmir Alsancak station, next to Izmir harbor. The harbor grain elevators are clearly visible in the background of most of the pictures. Then, about 1km down the road, the line reaches Hilal, the famous level crossing with the Basmane line. The line then meanders through the hilly suburbs of Izmir before reaching the plain of the Küçük Menderes river. It is then completely flat, crosses Torbalı and reaches Selcuk at the foot of the mountains. From there, it is a very difficult climb-up to Çamlık (28‰ on 5,8 km). Çamlık marks the summit and the line goes down again to almost sea level in Ortaklar. From there to Aydın is almost a straight line along the valley of the Büyük Menderes River. Except for the mountain parts, the line goes through a densely populated and very fertile region.
Former Prussian G8 number 44017 stands in Izmir Alsancak station awaiting departure time with an evening suburban passenger train. Photo Tony Bowles, 15 April 1976 |
A Humboldt of series 45121-45132, built in 1912, departs Izmir Alsancak station with a suburban passenger working on a wet day. Photo Tony Bowles, 16 April 1976 |
A Kriegslok of series 56501-56553 shunts the stock of the twice-weekly train to Afyon via Aydin at Izmir Alsancak. Photo Tony Bowles, 17 April 1976 |
A former Prussian G8 of series 44001-44083 passes over the rail level crossing with the former SCP main line from Izmir Basmane at Hilal on her way out of Izmir Alsancak on the ORC main line with a suburban passenger train. The shot is taken looking westwards towards Basmane terminus. Photo Tony Bowles, 16 April 1976 |
A former Prussian G8 of series 44001-44083 is about to pass over the rail level crossing at Hilal on her way out of Izmir Alsancak of the former ORC with a suburban passenger train. Photo Tony Bowles, 15 April 1976 |
A former Prussian G8 of series 44001-44083 climbs Kemer bank through the suburb of Yesildere with a suburban passenger train from Izmir Alsancak. Photo Tony Bowles, 17 April 1976 |
A Corpet Louvet of series 56911-56918, (1926) heads a suburban passenger train from Izmir Alsancak on the climb through Yesildere. Photo Tony Bowles, 17 April 1976 |
A former Prussian G8 of series 44001-44087 climbs through the suburb of Yesildere with a suburban train from Izmir Alsancak. Photo Tony Bowles, 15 March 1977 |
DR class 52 Kriegslok number 52.6067 built by Berliner Maschinenbau AG (12508/1943) TCDD number 56529 heads 9h35 mixed from Izmir to Denizli near Torbali. Photo Paul Riley March 1976 |
55028 of the Prussian G10 design heads the 9h35 mixed from Izmir to Denizli approaching Selcuk. Photo Paul Riley March 1976 |
A TCDD 1’E1’ of series 57001-57027 heads away from Selcuk with the mixed train from Denizli to Izmir. Photo Tony Bowles, 14 December 1976 |
Prussian G10 55028 design is piloted by 56912 Corpet Louvet heading the mixed from Izmir to Denizli on the steep climb from Selcuk to Çamlik. Photo Paul Riley March 1976 |
Same train on the climb from Selcuk to Çamlik. Photo Paul Riley March 1976 |
Corpet Louvet 56912 (1706/1926) heads the 9h35 mixed from Izmir to Denizli on the steep climb from Selcuk to Çamlik. Photo Paul Riley March 1976 |
Corpet Louvet 2-10-0 (1706/1926) number 56912 supplied to SCP, is coaled up at Çamlik after piloting the Izmir to Denizli mixed up from Selcuk Photo Paul Riley March 1976 |
Former TCDD lightweight 1’E1’ built by Krupp (1421/1935) number 57011 heads the Denizli to Izmir mixed away from Ortaklar on the climb to Çamlik. Photo Paul Riley, March 1976 |
TCDD lightweight 1’E1’ 57011 (1421/1935) heads the Denizli to Izmir mixed on the climb from Ortaklar to Çamlik. Photo Paul Riley March 1976 |
Corpet Louvet 56912 (1706/1926) built for the SCP heads the Denizli to Izmir mixed struggling on the climb from Ortaklar to Çamlik, the weather having turned very wet following the dry conditions for her outward trip the previous day. Photo Paul Riley, March 1976. |
A Corpet Louvet 2-10-0 of series 56911-56918 takes water at Ortaklar after piloting the 9h35am mixed from Izmir to Denizli to this point. Photo Tony Bowles, 16 March 1977. |